The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $1.2M to three Penn State researchers for a proposal that aims to identify the key polymeric properties of conjugated polymers used to develop flexible electronics.
Led by Enrique Gomez, associate professor of chemical engineering, the research will lay the foundation for predicting the mechanical and conductive properties of these polymers from their chemical structure.
According to the college’s press release, the flexible electronics industry is a growing field that encompasses a wide range of applications that include smartphones, watches, bendable displays, biomedical devices, and wearable fabrics among many others.
The industry offers “vast societal potential,” and continues to grow in popularity, but little is known about the conjugated polymers that serve as its backbone.
